4.15.2016

You guys, I have a confession to make. I’m obsessed.
Obsessed with this indie magazine called Cherry Bombe and everything it stands
for. It combines two things I’m passionate about, food and feminism. So when I
found out they host an annual conference called the Jubilee, I knew I had to
go. So I booked a ticket to the conference and went by myself.

It was a full day of inspiring women speaking about some
really interesting and powerful stuff in a room filled with 300 bad ass women
from all walks of life. And something weird happened.

I totally froze up. I walked in like a new girl on the first
day of school completely overwhelmed, looking around all doe-eyed hoping
someone, anyone would come up and want to be my friend. It was terrifying.
Logically it made no sense. I knew that at the core, everyone was here because
we have a common interest – A LOVE OF FOOD and this amazing magazine.

It didn’t matter, my brain when into super shy, reserved
mode. Which if you know me is not really my style at all. Has this ever
happened to you?

By lunch time I finally grew the courage to walk up to a group
of strangers and asked if I could sit with them. I put my big girl panties on
and just broke the ice. Shocker, I didn’t die and I met 3 incredible ladies and
I’m so glad I pushed past that fear.

If you find yourself in a similar situation soon, try to
push past it and conquer that fear. And if you need a little extra push, you
can always grab a little liquid courage with this cocktail.

Inspired by Cherry Bombe Magazine, I came up with the idea
for this drink. I’ve been super into bourbon & whiskey lately and I wanted
to create a strong drink for a bad ass lady. It’s perfectly balanced, not too
sweet and not too tart. And it packs quite the punch. The best part? It’s super
easy to make.

cherry bombe cocktail

Yields 1 drink

ingredients:

1 oz Rye Whiskey (I like Wild Turkey Rye)

1 oz sweet vermouth

¼ tsp tart cherry juice concentrate

4 – 5 dashes grapefruit bitters

ice

boozy cherry for garnish

In a large mixing glass, combine the whiskey, vermouth and
tart cherry juice. Add about ½ c. crushed ice and stir for 30 seconds so that
the ice slightly dilutes the drink. Pour over a large rock (ice cube) or
crushed ice and toss in a few cherries. Sip, mix and repeat – responsibly of
course.

improv style:

don’t like rye? You can use your favorite type of whiskey.
Don’t like whiskey, use white rum, vodka or gin. It will be a totally different
drink but still a delish cocktail!

Can’t find tart cherry juice or don’t like it? This is a
cherry bombe but you could substitute for pomegranate juice concentrate or even
acai juice.

Grapefruit bitters is a specialty bitter I have in my
cocktail kit. I do believe they make all the difference in this drink. If you
don’t want to buy an obscure ingredient like this, try squeezing the peel of a
fresh grapefruit into the drink. You’ll get some of the bitter and floral notes
that the grapefruit bitters imparts.

Sometimes I like to squeeze an orange peel and drop it into
this drink. It’s like a cherry old fashioned without the sugar cube.

If this drink is too stiff for you, try adding in some
sparkling water. Lacroix makes a cherry lime flavor that would be so good with
this drink. You could also try adding a sugar cube, a splash of honey or maple
syrup to sweeten the cocktail if you like your drinks a little less
strong/tart.